Mercury in the eggs of aquatic birds from the Gulf of Gdansk and Wloclawek Dam (Poland)

Grajewska, Agnieszka; Falkowska, Lucyna; Szumiło-Pilarska, Emilia; Hajdrych, Julia; Szubska, Marta; Frączek, Tomasz; Meissner, Włodzimierz; Bzoma, Szymon; Bełdowska, Magdalena; Przystalski, A.; Brauze, Tomasz

doi:10.1007/s11356-015-4154-y

Cited by 22 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…In contrast to our expectations regarding high levels of Hg in piscivorous CT and partly piscivorous BHG, detectable concentrations of this element were found only in the eggshells of CT and ML (Table ES4). The lack of detectable concentrations of Hg in the eggshells of BHG may be explained by the frequent foraging of BHGs on anthropogenic food in winter that favor lower accumulations of Hg (Kitowski et al 2015 ; Peterson et al 2017 ) compared with foraging on fish favoring Hg accumulation in eggs, including eggshells (Monteiro and Furness 1995 ; Grajewska et al 2015 ; Ackerman et al 2016 ). Conversely, birds may have foraged in areas contaminated with Hg, but this element may have been allocated to the egg content as has been reported previously for the black-tailed gull, Larus crassirostris (Agusa et al 2005 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It preys on fish and aquatic invertebrates, mainly crustaceans and insects (Becker and Ludwigs 2011 ; Bukacinski and Bukacinska 2015 ). Among the studied avian species, fish is the CT’s most important diet component (Grajewska et al 2015 ; Bukacinski and Bukacinska 2015 ; Indykiewicz P, personal communication). Regarding its egg-formation strategy, CT is classified as an income breeder (Bond and Diamond 2010 ), obtaining nutrients on the breeding grounds during the prelaying period.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Fish serves as the important source of those elements for piscivorous vertebrates (Radwan et al 1990 ; Łuczyńska et al 2009 ). Given that a diet rich in fish favors Hg accumulation in eggs, including the eggshells (Monteiro and Furness 1995 ; Grajewska et al 2015 ; Ackerman et al 2016 ), piscivorous CT and partly piscivorous BHG are predicted to have higher Hg levels in their eggshells. Given the intersite differences in habitat composition among the studied breeding sites (Table ES1), intersite differences in the element concentration in eggshells of the CT, the only species gaining reserves for egg production locally, may be expected.…”

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Factors Affecting Element Concentrations in Eggshells of Three Sympatrically Nesting Waterbirds in Northern Poland

Kitowski

Jakubas

Indykiewicz

et al. 2017

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol

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Avian eggshells are convenient samples in biomonitoring studies, because they are easily accessible, especially from colonially or semicolonially breeding birds. In the present study, concentrations of 17 elements, including heavy metals and essential elements in post-hatch eggshells, were compared among three species of waterbirds of differing strategies for gaining reserves for egg production and diet: mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (ML, a capital breeder, mainly herbivorous), common tern, Sterna hirundo (CT, an income breeder, piscivorous) and black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus (BHG, mixed strategy, omnivorous) and breeding sympatrically in three sites in North Poland. Analyses revealed that Fe, Zn, and Cu levels differed the most in the studied species, which may be explained by various contributions of fish, aquatic plants, and soil invertebrates in their diets. Generally, the studied species’ eggshells accumulated amounts of elements comparable to those reported for other waterbirds without putting the growth and development of the embryo at risk. The only exception was very high levels of Cr in ML and CT, which may be explained by their foraging on aquatic organisms in waterbodies polluted by this element. Intersite differences in eggshell concentrations of Ni, Sr, Hg and Cr in CT (an income breeder) may be explained by the influence of local pollution sources (small factories, polluted river).Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s00244-017-0481-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Factors Affecting Element Concentrations in Eggshells of Three Sympatrically Nesting Waterbirds in Northern Poland

Kitowski

Jakubas

Indykiewicz

et al. 2017

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol

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“…Given the interspecific differences in diet (GCM—an obligate piscivore and GHR—an opportunistic, facultative piscivorous predator; Cramp 1998 ), we expected some variations in elemental concentrations, e.g. more Cu, Mn, Se and Hg in GCM as a fish-rich diet favours the accumulation of these elements in eggs (Monteiro and Furness 1995 ; Grajewska et al 2015 ; Ackerman et al 2016 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inter-species and inter-colony differences in elemental concentrations in eggshells of sympatrically nesting great cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo and grey herons Ardea cinerea

Jakubas

Kitowski

Wiącek

et al. 2018

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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We compared the concentrations of 17 heavy metals and essential elements in post-hatching eggshells of two waterbirds, the obligate piscivorous great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo (GCM) and the more omnivorous grey heron Ardea cinerea (GHR), breeding sympatrically in eight mixed colonies in Poland. We found significant inter-species and inter-colony differences in the levels of most of the elements. GHR had significantly higher concentrations of Al, which can be explained by its very low stomach pH: an acidic environment favours the release of Al compounds. Differences in Mn, Ni, Cu, Se and Hg concentrations can be attributed to the various contributions of fish and other aquatic organisms to the diet, and to the exploration of different habitats (GCM exclusively aquatic, GHR a wider range) and microhabitats (GCM, in contrast to wading GHR, dive for food, exploring the whole depth range of water bodies), differently exposed to contamination by those elements from sediments. Inter-colony differences were related to the level of industrialisation. We recorded higher levels of some elements in the eggshells (Fe, Mn in both species and Cr, Ni and Zn in GCM) collected in industrialised areas, which may be associated with the negative environmental impact of industrial areas.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s11356-018-3765-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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“…One way of eliminating toxic substances is to transfer them from the parents to their offspring, also by laying eggs (Grajewska et al 2015). Xenobiotic elimination is also achieved by incorporating toxic substances into feathers, claws, nails and hair, as well as removing them with excrement (Covaci and Schepens 2001; Kintz 2007; Schramm 2008).…”

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Human Hair, Baltic Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) Fur and Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) Feathers as Accumulators of Bisphenol A and Alkylphenols

Nehring

Staniszewska

Falkowska

2017

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol

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The purpose of the study was to determine the concentration of bisphenol A (BPA), 4-tert-octylphenol (OP), and 4-nonylphenol (NP), in human hair, the fur of Baltic grey seals and the feathers of herring gulls. Hair was collected from 42 volunteers, while grey seal fur (n = 17) came from the seal centre in Hel (Marine Station of Institute of Oceanography, University of Gdansk) and gull covert feathers (n = 26) were collected from dead herring gulls along the Southern Baltic coast. Assays of phenol derivatives were conducted using the high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection technique. In human hair, the mean BPA concentration amounted to 411.2 ng g−1 dw, OP 131.2 ng g−1 dw, NP 4478.4 ng g−1 dw, in seal fur BPA 67.5 ng g−1 dw, OP 62.8 ng g−1 dw, NP 39.1 ng g−1 dw, and in feathers BPA 145.1 ng g−1 dw, OP 162.0 ng g−1 dw, NP 37.7 ng g−1 dw. The increase of the analysed EDCs in hair was significantly influenced by diet rich in products of marine origin, as well as hair colouring, heating up food in plastic containers, using home cleaning products without protective gloves and wearing newly purchased clothes without washing them first. The concentration of phenol derivatives in seal fur was influenced solely by the uniform diet rich in fish. In birds, the feeding area during molting significantly influenced the concentration of BPA, OP and NP found in covert feathers.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00244-017-0402-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Mercury in the eggs of aquatic birds from the Gulf of Gdansk and Wloclawek Dam (Poland)

Cited by 22 publications

References 38 publications

Factors Affecting Element Concentrations in Eggshells of Three Sympatrically Nesting Waterbirds in Northern Poland

Factors Affecting Element Concentrations in Eggshells of Three Sympatrically Nesting Waterbirds in Northern Poland

Inter-species and inter-colony differences in elemental concentrations in eggshells of sympatrically nesting great cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo and grey herons Ardea cinerea

Human Hair, Baltic Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) Fur and Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) Feathers as Accumulators of Bisphenol A and Alkylphenols

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